Xanthommatin as Color Additive for Food, Beverage and Drug Compositions

Abstract

A substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate is disclosed. The edible color additive comprises xanthommatin at a concentration of about 0.01% wt to about 0.5% wt and optionally a dry based carrier or a solution-based carrier. The substrate is a food, beverage, drink, medication or a drug form. The color additives of the disclosure can be produced in the color spectrum of yellow, orange, red, or concentrated forms (e.g., concentrated yellow appears as brown).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate, comprising xanthommatin as the edible color additive present at a concentration of about 0.01% wt to about 0.5% wt, and optionally a dry-based carrier or a solution-based carrier. 
     
     
         2 . The substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a food, beverage, drink, medication or a drug form. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the dry based carrier comprises cheese powder, spices, monosodium glutamate, maltodextrin, salt, sugar, anti-caking agents, other edible color additives, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate of  claim 3 , wherein anti-caking agents include silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), calcium silicate (CaSiO 3 ), magnesium carbonate (MgCO 3 ), magnesium silicate (MgSiO 3 ), sodium aluminosilicate (Na 2 Al 2 Si 14 O 32 ·3H 2 O), talc (Mg 3 Si 4 O 10 (OH) 2 ), tricalcium phosphate (TCP, Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 ), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the solution-based carrier comprises water, glycerin, propylene glycol, oils, alcohols, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate of  claim 5 , wherein the solution-based carrier is about 50% v/v ethanol to about 50% v/v water to about 80% v/v ethanol to about 20% v/v water. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the edible color additive absorbs light in a wavelength range of about 420 nm to about 480 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the edible color additive absorbs light in a wavelength range of about 620 nm to about 750 nm. 
     
     
         9 . The substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the edible color additive absorbs light in a wavelength range of about 590 nm to about 620 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The substrate having an edible color additive within the substrate or coated on the substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the color additive is a coating on the substrate. 
     
     
         11 . The substrate of  claim 10 , wherein the substrate is a food, medication, or drug form. 
     
     
         12 . A method of coating an edible substrate, the method comprising:
 applying xanthommatin as an edible color additive at a concentration of about 0.01% wt to about 0.5% wt, and optionally a dry-based carrier or a solution-based carrier.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the applying the edible color additive comprises dusting, spray-coating, electrostatic coating, dipping, dredging, tossing, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating absorbs light at a wavelength range of about 420 nm to about 480 nm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating absorbs light at a wavelength range of about 620 nm to about 750 nm. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating absorbs light at a wavelength range of about 590 nm to about 620 nm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the xanthommatin is separately applied, or applied in combination with the dry-based carrier onto the edible substrate by electrostatic coating.